The Canadian coaching team will now visit Brunel University in mid-October for a final planning visit and will return with the athletes in May 2012 for their Simulation Camp and Paralympic Test Event.

The final pre-Games preparation camp will run from August 20 to 26 next year before the Canadian athletes move to the Athletes' Village in Stratford ahead of the Opening Ceremony, which takes place on August 29.

Ozzie Sawicki, the Athletics Canada Para-Athletics head coach, said: "I am very excited to have a working relationship to utilise Brunel University as the Canadian Para-Athletics training base leading up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

"I believe that Brunel offers the key preparation, training and logistical aspects that fit the needs of our elite performers.

"The proximity to the Games facilities in London are also of benefit, minimising travel impact on our athletes."

The agreement also received a glowing endorsement from London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe.

"This is great news for Brunel," said Coe.

"I am sure that the Canadian athletics team will be provided with a very warm welcome and that they will enjoy training and acclimatising at the University.

"I'm well aware of the importance these athletes will place on preparing thoroughly and am sure that the excellent facilities on offer will provide them with a great setting in which to prepare for London 2012."


Brunel offers some of the best university sports and athletics facilities in the UK, including an indoor centre for track and field, an outdoor six-lane 400-metres track, and exercise facilities for fitness and weight training.

Altogether, these facilities have helped make the University a year-round base for top athletes, with members of the Great Britain and Jamaican athletics teams training on campus, including triple world record holder Usain Bolt.

The facility has also hosted a number of ParalympicsGB potential days where talented disabled athletes are trialled to see if they have what it takes to compete at the Paralympic Games.

Earlier this year it was announced that South Korea had chosen Brunel as its pre-Games training camp for the Olympics. 

"We are honoured that Brunel University has been chosen as the Paralympic Games preparation camp by Athletics Canada and look forward to developing long-lasting relationships with the Canadian athletes, coaches and officials," said Neil Young, the Head of Brunel Programmes for the London 2012 Games.

"The sporting facilities at Brunel University are among the best in London and there has been considerable interest in London 2012 preparation camps from teams around the world."

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Campbell added: "We are delighted that Athletics Canada has chosen Brunel, not only because of its world-class sports facilities, conveniently located close to Heathrow, but also because of our cutting edge research into factors that may influence the performance of Paralympic athletes."

Canada finished fourth on the athletics medal table at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics with 19 medals and 10 golds - five of which were claimed by wheelchair racing legend Chantal Petitclerc who has now retired.

Petitclerc was coached by Peter Eriksson, who is now UK Athletics' Paralympic Head Coach and widely seen as one of the top coaches in Paralympic sport, having led athletes to win an incredible 119 medals at the Games since 1984.

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